Monday, December 17, 2007

Forget reading this blog, Vint Cerf, the creator of the Internet himself divulges the secret to getting hired by Google. The following is an excerpt of an interview of Cerf (source).

When applying for a job with Google, Vint mentions it’s a plus if you have some special ability on the side; like being member of an ice skating group, or having gone through vocals training, or having an interest in animals. Vint adds that Google employees are a real team but that you won’t find a casual job with them, as they work on the highest level

Although I appreciate Cerf's sentiments I think having these 'special abilities' should be the last thing on anyone's mind when applying for a job there. When the technical aspect is stressed so heavily, I doubt they are reallying looking for that niche software engineer/ice skater. It will definitely give you something to talk about during the interview, which will show off your personality and ability to communicate, but I would not really rely on "extracurriculars" to push you over the edge.